!Fourth covid winter
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agk's diary 
9 Jan 2023 @ 15:58 UTC
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started on GPD Win 1 via PuTTY in living room
Evy works, daughter plays with scrabble tiles
under record playing southern US traditional songs
finished in bed feeling sick before work
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At playground while first daughter climbed, slid,
Evy said "I can't stop thinking about one woman I
bodybagged last winter. I think about her at least
once every week. I guess her mouth had been full
of secretions. When I turned her...."

Evy wants to work closer to home. Every hospital's
short-staffed but not hiring days or replying to
applicants. I read somewhere administrators are
preparing for recession, not replacing attrition.

Masks aren't manditory in my hospital anymore. I
asked if I could have one to wear against the
leading edge of the XBB1.2 "Kraken" variant from
New York. Only Santa Claus masks. When gone, no
more. Bring your own or whatever. Clinical staff 
out with covid from most every unit.

Extensive endothelial injury causes multi-organ
failure without acute respiratory distress. Spike
proteins scratched up everybody's vasculature;
young dead of heart stuff. New Yorker cover story
ridicules dirty superstitious people who still
mask. Covid's long been officially over. Yet
everyone's sick again.

Cassie has covid for the third time. Evy's family
Christmas party, postponed into new year by weather
was hosted by covid+ cousin, apologetic in mask,
psych nurse married to plastic surgeon. Her mask
justified, the only one. Stopped by Bugz' house
after dark, lights out; she's covid+.

Evy woke Sunday from a nightmare: last winter's
Delta wave, couldn't remember details to tell;
couldn't shake the anger. In church, concerns:
retired teacher & city council member seriously ill
with something undiagnosed diverted to a hospital
in another city. Grandmother with covid turned away
from emergency, sent home because "we're full."

Prayers for families of members who died this week.
Elderly parishioner stands: thank you all for
prayers & cards these last 2 months. I was very,
very sick. I'm weak. My recovery'll take a long
time. It wasn't covid, but you don't want it.